Auxiliary trim-out unit for printed webs

ABSTRACT

Auxiliary trim-out unit positionable at the discharge end of a web press and adapted to receive either single or multiple, laminate, pre-printed webs, either flat or longitudinally folded along one or both edges, and having one or more pairs of knives or blades adjustably positioned upon a rotary knife holder between the opposite ends thereof and supported thereby for shearing engagement with a stationary knife, the knives of each of said pairs of knives being parallel and spaced circumferentially to accomplish the dual function of (1) cutting individual printed pieces of said web into desired lengths and (2) trimming, from between adjacent pieces, strips of web material comprising excess lengths thereof required for the desired length of the cut pieces under circumstances where the cylinder repeat length of the press is different from the total length of a plurality of printed pieces within said repeat length. This arrangement also permits cutting off the printed image, thus permitting printed pieces to be bled when such is desired in the product. Means to remove the trimmed waste strips from the unit also are provided as an important adjunct to the trimming knife feature.

United States Patent 1 Faltin [451 Aug. 19, 1975 AUXILIARY TRIM-OUT UNIT FOR PRINTED WEBS [75] Inventor: Hans G. Faltin, York, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Advance Enterprises, Inc., York, Pa.

[22] Filed: July 29, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 492,398

[52] US. Cl. 83/113; 83/109; 83/161; 83/349; 93/36 A; 144/218; 144/230; 270/21 [51] Int. Cl. B26D 7/18; B26D 1/56; B41F 13/56 [58] Field of Search 93/36 A, 59 ES; 83/112, 83/113, 109, 349,161, 287, 76, 288; 270/2l; 144/230, 218

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,048,765 7/1936 Wood 270/21 2,778,286 1/1957 Walker 93/36 A 2,935,916 5/1960 Walker 93/36 A 3,039,503 6/1962 Mainone 144/230 3,159,069 12/1964 Winkler et a1. 83/349 X 3,204,502 9/1965 Fuller et al. 83/76 X 3,371,584 3/1968 Zernov 93/36 A 3,424,041 l/l969 Giraud... 83/287 X 3,482,477 12/1969 Sleeper 83/349 X 3,521,512 7/1970 Woessner 270/21 X 9/1930 Germany 81/112 Primary ExaminerDonald R. Schran Assistant Examiner-W. D. Bray Attorney, Agent, or Firm-C. Hercus Just [5 7] ABSTRACT Auxiliary trim-out unit positionable at the discharge end of a web press and adapted to receive either single or multiple, laminate, pre-printed webs, either flat or longitudinally folded along one or both edges, and having one or more pairs of knives or blades adjustably positioned upon a rotary knife holder between the opposite ends thereof and supported thereby for shearing engagement with a stationary knife, the knives of each of said pairs of knives being parallel and spaced circumferentially to accomplish the dual function of (1) cutting individual printed pieces of said Web into desired lengths and (2) trimming, from between adjacent pieces, strips of web material comprising excess lengths thereof required for the desired length of the cut pieces under circumstances where the cylinder repeat length of the press is different from the total length of a plurality of printed pieces within said repeat length. This arrangement also permits cutting off the printed image, thus permitting printed pieces to be bled when such is desired in the product. Means to remove the trimmed waste strips from the unit also are provided as an important adjunct to the trimming knife feature.

5/ 14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED we 9197s SHEEI10F4 PATENTED M181 91975 SHEET u (If 4 AUXILIARY TRIM-OUT UNIT FOR PRINTED WEBS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present invention comprises an adjunct to the mechanism comprising the subject matter of pending application Ser. No. 311,627, filed Dec. 4, 1972, and entitled, Auxiliary Cut-off Unit for Web Printing Presses and Method of Forming Separate Pieces, for purposes of permitting further versatility in the cutting and trimming of pre-printed pieces formed in sequence on a continuous web, either folded or unfolded, to eliminate and/or minimize the conventional requirements of subsequent cutting and trimming operations in accordance with conventional practice now employed in printing establishments in conjunction with web printing presses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Present rotary web printing presses basically fall into two categories, which are: l. A signature type press which delivers a predetermined folded signature of single or multiple webs into a fixed size product, which usually consists of a cross-folded product of half the repeat length of the printing cylinder circumference, which may or may not be folded half again, either parallel to or across said first fold. Such products, known as signatures" are crudely cut and also contain impaling pin holes, therefore often necessitating further off-line trimming operations. 2. A roll-to-roll or roll-tosheet single web press which is limited to delivering printed sheets precisely the length of the repeat length, comprising the cylinder circumference of said press, or rewinding said web into rolls for further off-line operations. These characteristics greatly limit and circumscribe such presses to a very limited type of printed and/or folded product.

The invention comprising the subject matter of companion application, Ser. No. 31 1,627, permits an extensive amount of versatility in the control of the length of pre-printed pieces or either folded or unfolded nature and of desired lengths by permitting a range of adjustments in the speed at which the rotary cutting blade of the sheeter comprising the subject matter of said invention is driven relative to the speed of the web fed thereto so as to sever said web at precisely longitudinally spaced locations to form severed folded and printed pieces of desired uniform length, which are even divisions of the repeat length of the press from which said pre-printed web is discharged. The adjust ment is accomplished by changing certain driving gears by which the rotary cutting member is driven relative to a bed knife and between which the pre-printed web is fed at predetermined speed comprising that of the press. Details by which such adjustments are accomplished are fully set forth in said copending application and to which attention is directed for further detailed information.

The prior art over which the present invention also comprises an improvement likewise is set forth in the specification of the aforementioned co-pending application, to which attention is directed. Briefly, however, the cutting and trimming of preprinted pieces formed on a continuous web, either folded or unfolded, along one or both edges, is, in general, effected in accordance with the presently used techniques by off-line trimming operations performed on individually operated supplementary machines not associated with the printing press and therefore, requiring considerable additional handling which adds extensively to the production cost of the finished product.

Although the improvements afforded by applicants aforementioned co-pending application greatly enhance the versatility of forming pre-printed pieces of a substantial range of different lengths, each having evenly trimmed opposite ends, and effecting such cutting and trimming at web speed as the printed web is delivered directly from a web type printing press, it is essential that the length of the printed pieces be an even fraction of the repeat length of the printing press. While this advance in the printing industry is highly desirable, there are situations in which printed pieces are desired, having a length which is not an even division of the repeat lengths of the printing press, and it is the principal purpose of the present invention to provide means by which printed pieces having a length, for example, less than an even division of the repeat lengths of a printing press may be formed, at press speed, economically, and in which the pieces have evenly trimmed opposite ends, without requiring auxiliary or supplemental cutting or trimming operations, details of which are set forth hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary trim-out unit adapted to receive from a web printing press a longitudinally folded or unfolded web comprising a series of similar pre-printed pieces having a length unequal to an even division of the cylinder repeat length of the press, whereby short transverse strips of excess lengths of the web are disposed between adjacent, successive pre-printed pieces of desired predetermined lengths and simultaneously out said web and trim said excess short waste lengths of the web from between said adjacent pre-printed pieces while the web is moving at press speed and thereby produce is folded or unfolded pre-printed piece of desired length having the opposite ends thereof trimmed smoothly and cleanly without requiring subsequent offline trimming operations.

It is another object of the invention to provide such aforementioned trim-out unit to separate from a continuous web similar pre-printed pieces having bleed areas between successive pieces which are desired to be trimmed from between said successive pieces without requiring subsequent off-line trimming operations, whereby finished pre-printed pieces of desired lengths having bleed areas extending to opposite ends thereof are formed in final trimmed condition.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a trim-out unit adapted to be mounted adjacent the discharge end of a web type press and receive therefrom, either folded or unfolded continuous strips of successive pre-printed pieces and combine a cross trim operation with the cutting operations by which the pieces are separated from each other, said cross trim and cutting operation occurring simultaneously, in line with the press and at press speed to form finally trimmed pieces and additionally provide means by which the trimmed excess waste strips which are removed from between successive pre-printed pieces are quickly removed from the unit so as not to clog the same or otherwise interfere with the successful production of finally trimmed pieces of desired length.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such waste strip removal means with impinging pins which positively engage the waste strips as they occur between at least one pair of similar trimming blades, both parallel to each other, and extending between opposite sides of a rotary knife folder, the knives thereof coacting in shearing relationship with a stationary bed knife carried by the unit and the space between said knives of said rotary knife holder being equal to the length of the web to be trimmed as waste from between successive pre-printed pieces of desired length.

One further object of the invention is to provide said impinging pins upon an endless flexible member which has a series of said pins mounted thereon in longitudinally spaced relationship to each other and said endless flexible member being driven at a speed commensurate with the rotary speed of the rotary knife holder to dispose the spaced impinging pins in timed relationships with the space between the blades of said rotary knife holder so as to insure engagement of the waste strips by said pin.

Still another object of the invention is to provide stripping means in association with said endless flexible means and operable to positively separate the trimmed strips of waste material from said pin at a location removed from the rotary knife holder so as not to interfere with the operation thereof.

One further object of the invention is to provide means by which said pair of knives on said rotary knife holder may be arranged with different spaces between the parallel cutting edges of said knives and thereby adapt the unit for cutting the web and trimming therefrom waste strips of a desired length in accordance with the length of the trimmed pre-printed pieces to be produced by a given setting of the space between said knives.

Still another object of the invention is to provide adjustable positioning means for the bed knife of the unit to adapt the same to desired shearing relationship with the edges of the knives on said rotary knife holder after the same have been adjusted to accommodate the unit to trimming waste strips of desired lengths, the web having different spacings between successive preprinted pieces than those of a web fed to said trim-out unit in a preceding operation.

One further object of the invention is to provide said rotary knife holder with a plurality of pairs of similarly spaced trimming knives positioned at even circumferential distances around the periphery of said holder and said pairs of knives being adjustable to retract the same toward the axis of said knife holder and thereby render at least one of said pair of rotary knives inoperative relative to the bed knife without inducing appreciable undesirable centrifugal imbalance in said rotary knife holder when the length of the pre-printed pieces require such immobilizing of a pair of said knives on said rotary knife holder.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation showing an end view of an exemplary printing press which is illustrated fragmentarily and a side elevation of a variable auxiliary trim-out unit adapted to receive a web at press speed from the press and cut and trim therefrom similar strips of excess web material which is removed from desired lengths of pre-printed pieces in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the auxiliary trim-out unit illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic vertical elevation illustrating the drive means for the various elements of the auxiliary trimout unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the rotary knife holder shown in shearing relationship with the bed knife of the trim-out unit illustrated in the preceding figures and shown on a larger scale than employed therein, said view also showing in a somewhat diagrammatic manner details of waste strip removal means operating in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view on a scale similar to that used in FIG. 4 and showing a typical impingement of waste strips between adjacent knives on the rotary knife holder and pins on the waste strip removal means.

FIG. 6 is a vertical front View of the structure shown in FIG. 4 as seen from the left-hand side thereof and transversely foreshortened to accommodate the view to the sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The auxiliary trim-out unit comprising the present invention is positionable adjacent the discharge end of a printing press and has at least four main objectives. Without intending to designate the relative importance thereof by the order in which the same as described, said objectives are:

1. To form pre-printed pieces, either folded or unfolded, which have one or more thicknesses and a finished length which is less than an aliquot part of the cylinder repeat length of the web, whereby the cutting and trimming mechanism comprising the subject matter of applicants copending application, Ser. No. 31 1,627, is incapable of simultaneously cutting and trimming pieces of such lengths and said similtaneous cutting and trimming pieces of said lengths eliminate subsequent off-line trimming operations.

2. To pemiit commercial type bleeds provided on said pre-printed pieces to be cut out from the continuous web without requiring subsequent off-line trimming operations.

3. To combine trim-out operations with the printing operations in line with the press.

4. To cut and trim pre-printed pieces to a predetermined finished size which is less than the cylinder repeat length of the press or multiples thereof, without requiring subsequent off-line trimming operations.

The foregoing objectives are achieved by relatively simple means comprising an auxiliary in-line trim-out unit preferably mounted adjacent the delivery end of a web type press and operable at the speed of the press to effect the aforementioned simultaneous cutting and trimming of the preprinted pieces from a continuous web and in which the finished length of the trimmed pieces is less than an aliquot part of the cylinder repeat length of the web, details of said unit being as follows:

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary web type printing press 10 is illustrated fragmentarily, primarily to illustrate the relationship thereof to an auxiliary in-line trim-out unit 12 which is also illustrated in FIG. 1 in diagrammatic relationship to the printing press 10. The

press is of a conventional web type, whereby very limited details are shown in FIG. 1, since said figure is intended to represent the delivery end of said press to establish the illustration of the feeding of an exemplary folded, pre-printed web comprising a series of similar pieces of desired lengths, which are to be cut and trimmed therefrom and of which the length of the individual pieces is not an aliquot part of the cylinder repeat length of the press.

A portion of the frame of the press is shown fragmentarily adjacent the right hand of FIG. 1 for purposes of supporting, in exemplary manner, a fragmentarily illustrated driven shaft 16, which is only exemplary to represent one of a number of different shafts in the press which may be employed to drive the moving parts of the trim-out unit 12 for purposes of accepting and also cutting and trimming the pre-printed web 18 which is of infinite length and moves over a final guide roll 20 in the press to deliver the web in precise transverse relationship to an exemplary forming blade 22, which is shown in dotted lines, to represent a conventional type of blade beneath the web 18 for purposes of creasing the web longitudinally along a crease line which is pre cisely spaced from the opposite edges of the web, the web then being fed between a pair of nip rolls 24 which operate at a surface speed equal to that of the web 18 and the creased web 26 is moved around the guide roll 28 at the receiving end of the trim-out unit 12, as clearly shown in FIG. 1.

It also is to be understood that the trim-out unit 12 may include drive means for the various movable members thereof, the speed of said drive means being variable by the same mechanism which is illustrated, described and claimed in applicants co-pending application, Ser. No. 311,627, but, in addition, the trim-out unit 12 includes additional means, details of which are described hereinafter, by which individual trimmed pre-printed pieces having a length which is not an aliquot part of the cylinder repeat length of the press may be formed by removing excess strips of waste portions of the web which are trimmed from between successive pre-printed finished pieces, regardless of whether the strips trimmed therefrom are bleed portions of the web or otherwise, However, to provide an understanding of the adjustable drive for the rotary knives and the feed rolls of the trim-out unit 12, details of said adjustable means are set forth below, even though some of said details are the same as those set forth in applicants said co-pending application.

It is to be understood that the printing press 10 is provided with a plurality of sets of printing rolls or cylinders and for purposes of representing these, FIG. 1 includes an exemplary set of printing rolls or cylinders 30 and 32, which are shown in phantom. Description of the details of the cut-off unt 12 are as follows:

Said cut-off unit 12 is provided with a suitable frame 34 which is shown somewhat diagrammatically in FIG. 1. It will be understood that opposite sides are provided in said frame and suitable bearings are mounted in said sides to support the various rolls, shafts, and other rotatable means to be described in detail hereinafter. Preferably, the frame 34 comprising side frame members is mounted immediately adjacent the delivery end of the printing press 10 so as to conserve space. Because of the manner in which the printed web 18 is folded longitudinally to form the folded web 26, in plan view, the longitudinal axis of the cutoff unit 12 will be substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the web type press 10. Therefore, further to conserve space, it is preferred that the cut-off unit 12 be no longer than necessary. Hence, the various elements included therein, which are described in detail hereinafter, are closely located in compact relationship to each other.

In FIG. 2 the exemplary side frame members 34 are shown in plan view with the various shafts which sup port the individual elements of the cut-off unit 12 also being shown. The shaft 35, for example, which supports the guide roll 28 is shown in FIG. 2. Closely adjacent the guide roll 28 is a primary feed roll 36 which is supported on a shaft 38, the opposite ends of which are mounted in suitable bearings 40, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 2.

In order to render the primary feed roll 36 effective, a plurality of relatively narrow pressure rolls 42 respectively are rotatably mounted upon a plurality of spaced supporting arms 44; only one roll 42 being shown in FIG. 2, for simplicity. The ends of the arms 44 which are opposite the ends that support the pressure rolls 42 are mounted upon a fragmentarily illustrated shaft 46 for limited rotation thereon. The opposite ends of the shaft 46 are mounted in suitable bearings formed in the side frames 34. A vertically extending adjusting rod 48, having a manually engageable knob 50 on the upper end thereof, is fixed radially to one end of shaft 46, as shown in FIG. 1. Arms 44 preferably are spring pressed downward for upward yieldability of rolls 42, as shown in said co-pending application, to which attention is directed for details thereof. Preferably, the peripheries of the pressure rolls 42 also have a compressible rubber band mounted thereon for engagement with the upper surface of the folded web 26.

Pressure to be exerted by the pressure rolls 42 upon the web is set at the beginning of any operation of the rotary cut-off unit by moving the adjusting rod 48 arcuately in the desired direction to carry all of the rolls 42 and 44 in the same direction. When the adjusted posi tion thereof is reached, a manually rotatable knob 64 which has a threaded shaft fixed thereto that extends through an arcuate slot 66 formed in the upper end of an arm 68 fixed to one of the side frames 34, as shown in FIG. 2, is rotated to clamp the adjusting rod 48 relative to the side frame 34. Correspondingly, all of the rolls 42 and arms 44 likewise are clamped in said adjusted position. However, because of the aforementioned yieldability of mounts for arms 44, the individual arms 44 which support the pressure rolls 42 may yield a limited extent if variations in the movement of the folded web may require the same.

The primary feed roll 36 is driven by means described hereinafter, the surface speed thereof preferably being slightly greater than the speed of the web which is fed to the cut-off unit 12. The primary feed roll 36 feeds the folded and creased web 26 at uniform speed to the movably mounted cutter and trim-out assembly 70, details of which are best illustrated in FIGS. 4-6.

CUI IING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM As shown in FIG. 4, the assembly 70 preferably comprises a cylinder 72 supported by rotatable shaft 72, the opposite ends of which are appropriately mounted within bearings respectively provided in the side frame members 34. In the exemplary illustration shown in FIG. 4, the cylinder 72 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed V-shaped channels or seats 76 which extend longitudinally of the cylinder 72 for purposes of receiving, respectively, similar adjustable blades or knives 78 which respectively are clamped against one face 79 of each seat 76 by a plurality of appropriate clamp bolts 80.

Preferably flat spacing plates 81 are disposed against knives 78 and a second blade or knife 82 is flatly positioned against each plate 81 to form pairs of knives 78 and 82 in each channel 76. Knives 78 of each pair of knives preferably are adjustable in an offset radial manner to dispose the cutting edges of all the knives 78 and 82 precisely the same radial distance from the axis of shaft 74. In the preferred construction, the knives 78 and 82 may be slightly spiraled, whereby, for example, one end may have a lead of the order of approximately /2 inch over the other end. Such an arrangement reduces the power requirements to drive the knives 78 and 82. Also, the knives 78 and 82 have slots of short length through which said clamping bolts 80 extend and are threaded into the base plate 78. A plurality of transversely spaced bores 83 are formed in cylinder 72 between parallel faces of channels 76 and 84 to receive adjustment bolts 85, the outer ends of which are squared to be engaged by wrenches and the opposite ends preferably are socketed into bores in the inner edges of knives 78, whereby the cutting edges thereof may be positioned the precise radial distance from the axis of shaft 74 as the cutting edges of knives 82, after the positions of said latter knives have been established by means of adjusting bolts 85 relative to one face of seat 76, so that the cutting edges of all of said knives will be capable of having similar shearing engagement with a stationary bed knife 88.

The stationary bed knife 88 is effectively supported by one wall of a transversely extending recessed seat 90 formed within a transversely extending base member 92 which extends between and is secured appropriately to the side frames 34. A pair of relatively long adjusting screws 94 are threaded into the base member 92 adjacent opposite ends thereof respectively for engagement with opposite ends of the stationary bed knife 88 so as to adjust the cutting edge thereof with respect to the cutting edges of the rotary knives 78 and 82. When suitable adjustable positioning of the stationary bed knife 88 has been achieved, clamping bolts 96, which extend through knife 88 and are threaded into the base member 92, securely clamp the stationary bed knife 88 in said adjusted position. In the event the rotary knives 78 and 82 are slightly spiraled, for example, as described above, the stationary bed knife 88 is similarly spiraled but the lead of one end thereof over the other is at the opposite side of the cut-off unit 12 from the lead of the rotary knives 78 and 82, whereby accurate and precise, even and clean, shearing cuts are imparted to the moving web, said cuts also being precisely perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the moving web.

The purpose of providing the spaced pairs of rotary knives 78 and 82 is to afford the principal advantage of the present invention, namely, to trim from between successive pre-printed pieces of the web 26 waste strips of precise length, considered in the longitudinal axis of the web, to form separate, identical pre-printed pieces of precise length which is not an aliquot part of the cylinder repeat length of the printing cylinder of press 10. The trimmed waste strips 95 are the pieces of the web occurring between knives 78 and 82 of each pair thereof. It will be seen that by providing a reasonable number of pairs of spacing plates 81 of different thicknesses, and if necessary, by re-arranging the ground cutting edges of the knives 78 and 82, a substantial range of different lengths of spaces between the cutting edges of knives 78 and 82 may be provided to form waste strips of corresponding length to form preprinted pieces of precise desired length that require no off-line or other type of subsequent trimming.

The trimming of the usually relatively short lengths of waste strips 95 from between pre-printed pieces of the web of precise length necessitates the removal of such waste strips from the machine in order to prevent clogging thereof. Accordingly, the present invention provides such means which are operable effectively immediately adjacent the stationary bed knife 88 and details of which are best shown in FIGS. 46, as follows:

The waste strip removal mechanism is generally identified by the numeral 96. It comprises a pair of rollers or series of sprocket chains 98 and 100, respectively supported on appropriate shafts 102 and 104. The shaft 102, for example, is supported at its opposite ends in bearings, not shown, respectively supported by the side plates 34 of the trim-out unit 12. The lower shaft 104 has the opposite ends thereof supported in bearings formed in spaced arms 106, respectively mounted adjacent the opposite sides of the trim-out unit 12 and respectively affixed to either short studs or a fixed shaft 108, the opposite ends of which shaft respectively are adjacent the side frame members 34 of trim-out unit 12. The ends of the arms 106 which engage the studs or shaft ends 108 are provided with slots 110 and clamping bolts 112 to permit adjustment of the angular position of the arms 106 as required to place the endless flexible members 114 which extend around the peripheries of the rollers or sprocket gears 98.

In the preferred construction of the waste removal mechanism, the endless flexible members 1 14 comprise link-type chains. This permits a series of small supporting plates 116 to be connected to certain of the links thereof by appropriate screws, rivets, or otherwise, for purposes of supporting impinging pins 118 thereon which project radially with respect to shaft 102, for example, as the flexible members 114 are moved in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 4 to cause the pins to impinge the waste strips 95, in the manner shown in detail in FIG. 5, for example. As seen in FIG. 6, a series of transversely spaced endless flexible members 114 are provided upon which the pins 118 preferably are disposed in a transverse row, whereby each waste strip 95 is impinged at a number of locations spaced longitudinally of the strip across the width of the machine.

To enhance the impinging of the pins 118 through the waste strips 95, the rotary knife assembly comprising knives 78 and 82, which are located respectively in the channel 76, are provided with a backup plate 120, which is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and extends transversely across the machine in an axial direction with respect to cylinder 72, the width thereof is sufficient to extend preferably between the cutting edges of the knives 78 and 82 but disposed preferably a limited radial distance inwardly from said cutting edges with respect to the axis of shaft 74.The plate 120 is disposed at an acute angle to an extension 122 thereof, said extension being securely clamped, for example, between the spacing plate 81 and knife 78 of each pair thereof. The plates 120 also are provided with slots adapted to receive the pins 118, said slots being spaced longitudinally along the plate 120 accurately in accordance with the spacing of the rows of pins 118 on each of the endless flexible members 114.

As can readily be visualized from FIG. 4 and espe cially from FIG. 5, in view of the fact that the cylinder 72 is rotating counter clockwise as indicated by the exemplary directional arrow and the shaft 102 also is similarly rotating clockwise as shown by a further exemplary directional arrow for purposes of carrying the pins 118 in the same direction as the waste strip 95 is moving, it will be seen that the curved path of the backup plate 120 will soon separate from the impinged waste strip 95 and said strip will be carried preferably downward with respect to the bed knife 88, for example, on the outer courses or flights of the endless flexible members 114 as visualized in FIG. 4. As soon as the impinged strips 95 reach the lower end of the downward path of movement of the members 114, slotted stripping members 124, shown respectively in FIGS. 4 and 6, are encountered in order that the pins 118 may pass through the slots 126 thereof, and the portions of the members at opposite sides of said slots effectively strip the waste strips 95 from the pin to permit the same to fall into suitable collecting means, not shown, such removal being somewhat diagrammatically illustrated at the lower end of FIG. 4. The stripping members 124 may be supported by any suitable means adjacent the lower end of the waste strip removal mechanism 96, such as being secured to a block 128, for example, see FIG. 4, connected respectively to the spaced arms 106, which are connected to the shaft 108, clamping bolts 130 extending through the stripping members 124 to effect suitable connection thereof to the mechanism The flexible members 114 with the impinging pins 118 are driven in timed relationship relative to the surface speed of cylinder 72 and strips 95 by connecting either shaft 102 or 104 to a suitable source of power, such as shaft 74, by gears, or a timing belt, not shown.

After severing or cutting the successive trimmed preprinted pieces which are precisely dimensioned lengthwise and have been cut from the moving web 26, the severed pieces are engaged by an auxiliary feed roll means comprising mechanism described and claimed in said co-pending application but which is described here for convenience of providing a complete description of the machine. Said mechanism comprises a series of Iongitudinally spaced narrow upper feed rolls 132 which are supported upon a shaft 134 extending transversely between the opposite side frames 34. A lower feed rool 136 cooperates with the upper feed rolls 132. The rolls 132 respectively comprise rubber circular rims mounted upon the outer race ofa ball bearing unit 138, the inner race of each of which is mounted commonly upon a transverse shaft 134. The opposite ends of shaft 134 respectively are mounted in U-shaped yokes 140 which open upwardly. Said yoke respectively are attached to the inner surface of the upper side frames 34 as shown in FIG. 2. The opposite ends of the shaft 134 are yieldably maintained within the throats of the U- shaped members 140 by suitable means which are similar to clamping units used in various types of wooden cabinet work and the like.

A discharge unit 142 extends outwardly from the auxiliary feed roll means comprising lower feed roll 136 and the plurality of upper pressure rolls 132. Said unit comprises similar, opposite and parallel side plates 144. Extending between said side plates adjacent the outer end thereof is a shaft 146 upon which a beltcarrying roll 148 is mounted. The opposite ends of the shaft 146 preferably are supported in slots of limited length in the side plates 144, as shown in FIG. 1, for purposes of providing belt-tightening screws 150 to effect tightening of the plurality of belts 152, which are transversely spaced from each other, as shown in FIG. 2, the opposite ends of the belts extending around another belt-tightening roll 154. Also, as seen in FIG. 1, additional belt-tightening means in the form of a roll 156 is supported at opposite ends by suitable arms 158 which are movable pivotally through limited arcs relative to the side plates 144 and appropriate means maintain the arms in adjusted position after the belts 152 have been suitably tightened.

An appropriate plate 160 extends between the upper and lower courses of the belts 152, said plate having downwardly extending flanges at opposite edges which are suitably connected to the inner surfaces of the side plates 144. This arrangement stabilizes the discharge unit 142. The innermost ends of the side plates also have bearings through which the shaft 162 extends that supports the belt-carrying roll 154. The outer end of the discharge unit 142 is adjustably supported by means of a pair of rods 164 which are pivotally connected at the outer ends thereof to the lower, outer corner portions of the side plates 144 and the opposite ends thereof are adjustably mounted with respect to clevises 166 which are pivotally supported between opposite side frame members 34. Lock nuts 168 are threaded on the inner ends of the rods 164 and respectively engage opposite sides of the clevises 166 to maintain desired adjustment of the rods 164 in order to dispose the discharge unit 142 at a desired downwardly extending angle with respect to the discharge end of the cut-off unit 12.

Due to the auxiliary feed roll means operating at a faster speed than the surface speed of the movable cutter assembly 70, by means to be described hereinafter, the preprinted pieces which are cut and trimmed by the movable cutter assembly 70, in cooperation with the stationary bed knife 88, move onto conveyor belts 152 in separated manner from each other. pressure rolls 170 respectively are supported on arms 172 which are connected at one end to support shaft 174 which extends between the opposite side plates 144 as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The rolls 170 are substantially as wide as the belts 152 and are directly aligned with the upper course of each belt. The rolls 170 serve to maintain the separated cut and trimmed pre-printed pieces 176, which have been cut from the folded web 26, against the upper courses of the belts 152.

For further purposes of insuring carrying and advancing of the cut pieces by the belts 152, additional drag means are provided in the form of a pivoted block 178 which extends transversely between the opposite side plates 144, see FIG. 1, the trailing edge thereof supporting a flexible sheet of partially frictional material, such as a strip of sheet rubber 180. The outer ends of the upper courses of the belts 152 discharge the cut pieces 176 onto a suitable moving conveyor 182 which is indicated somewhat diagrammatically in FIG. I. Said conveyor moves at a substantially slower speed than the belts 152, whereby the cut pieces 176 are disposed in shingle fashion thereon for transportation to supplemental operation, such as counting, packaging and the like. When the cut and trimmed pre-printed pieces have reached this station, however, they are completed and require no further finishing operations of any kind, such as auxiliary trimming, folding, or otherwise. Therein lies one of the principal advantages of the present invention, namely, that when the web 26 is cut and the pre-printed pieces also are simultaneously trimmed of excess waste and are severed by the operation of the rotary knives 78 and 82 in coaction with the stationary bed knife 88, such severing and trimming is clean. precise and accurately perpendicular to the line of movement of the web through the cut-off unit 12.

To insure that the cut and trimmed pieces will be suitably directed onto the upper courses of the belts 152, the cut-off unit 12 is provided with a knock-down rotary member 184 which is carried by a suitable shaft extending between the opposite side frames 34 of the cut-off unit 12. The rotary member has a pair of similar L-shaped fingers 186 extending in opposite directions therefrom. The member 184 is rotated in direct rotary speed with that of the movable cutter assembly 70. Especially in view of the fact that a pair of fingers 186 are provided on the rotary member 184 and a plurality of pairs of rotary knives 78 and 82 are mounted on the movable cutter assembly 70, it will be seen that each cut and trimmed pre-printed piece 176 which is cut and trimmed by the cutter assembly 70 will be directly engaged at the leading end thereof by one of the fingers 186. It will be understood that a plurality of the fingers 186 are provided on the cylindrical rotary member 184 and extend in spaced relationship across the length thereof.

For purposes to avoid complexity in the illustration of FIG. 2, the rotary member 184 and the fingers 186 thereon are not illustrated in said figure, but instead are shown in FIG. 1 in side elevation. For similar purposes, the movable cutter assembly 70 also has been omitted from the illustration in FIG. 2 but it can be visualized that the same is mounted directly above the stationary bed knife 88 which is illustrated in FIG. 2.

THE DRIVE SYSTEM One of the most important features, comprising the subject matter of said co-pending application, Ser. No. 31 1,627, comprises the means by which the various elements of the cut-off unit 12 are operated in direct relationship to the speed of the press with which the knock-down unit is directly associated. This same drive mechanism also is useful in conjunction with the trimout features of the present invention and hence, the following detailed description thereof is set forth:

The drive mechanism is shown in limited detail in FIG. 1, and diagrammatically, the same is shown also in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 1, the exemplary driven shaft 16 of the printing press illustrated fragmentarily, it being understood that the main drive shaft 188 of the cut-off unit 12 is suitably and directly connected to the driven shaft 16 of the printing press by any appropriate means, not shown, which is conventional in the printing industry. As will be seen from FIG. 2, the drive mechanism is located on both sides of the cut-off unit 12, exteriorly of the side frame members 34 thereof.

Sprocket gear 192 is directly connected to the shaft 188.

For purposes of connecting the driven shaft 188 to the shaft 38 of the main pressure roll 36, a timing pulley 192 of relatively large diameter is fixed to shaft 188 and a smaller timing pulley 192 is fixed to shaft 38. A timing belt 194 extends around pulleys and 192 as shown in FIG. 3. Also, fixed to shaft 38 outwardly from timing pulley 192 is a sprocket gear 196 which, by means of a sprocket chain 198, is connected to another sprocket gear 200 which is fixed to the shaft for the lower feed roll 136. Also connected to the same shaft is an additional sprocket gear 202 around which sprocket chain 204 extends and encircles driven sprocket gear 206 on gear pump 208 to drive it. All of the foregoing gears and pulleys are on the lower side of FIG. 2 and also are shown in FIG. 3.

Drive shaft 162 of roll 154 for the conveyor belts 152 is driven by gearing illustrated on the upper side of FIG. 2 and also in FIG. 3. sprocket gear 202 is on the same shaft as a small spur gear 210 which meshes with a large idler gear 212 on the same shaft as small spur gear 214 which drives a large gear 216 which is fixed to the shaft 162 on which roll 154 is mounted which supports and drives delivery belts 152. Connected to shaft 74 of knife cylinder 72 is a sprocket gear 218 which drives sprocket gear 220 that is fixed to the shaft of knockdown rotary member 184. Sprocket chain 222 extends around gears 218 and 220, as shown in FIG. 3. Shaft 74 and the knife cylinder 72 are driven in adjustable relationship with shaft 38 of primary feed roll 36 by means of a selectable set of gears 224 and 226 which respectively are connected to shafts 74 and 38. Also mounted to mesh with gear 224 is a small spur gear 228 which is connected to the shaft 102 on which te rollers or sprocket gears 98 for the pin chains 114 are mounted so as to drive the plates 1 16 which carry the waste trim engaging pins 118. The chains 114 also extend around rollers or sprockets 100.

As described above, driving connection is established between sprocket gears 196 and 218, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, by a pair of meshing spur gears 224 and 226. Said spur gears have a predetermined ratio there between. When keyed and otherwise connected to the shafts 74 and 38, they are capable of transmitting driving power from the main drive shaft 188 to the shaft 74 of the knife cylinder 72 upon which the rotary cutting knives 78 and 82 are fixedly but adjustably supported for rotation therewith to coact with the stationary bed knife 88.

By way of example, assuming that the printing cylinder is 23 /2 inches in diameter, which, incidentally, is a very conventional size of printing cylinder on rotary web presses of the type with which the cut-off unit 12, comprising the present invention, is admirably suited to cooperate. Under such circumstances, the particular pair of meshing gears 224 and 226 are designed to drive the rotary cutting blades 82 at a speed relative to the speed of the web so that each blade will sever a cut piece of folded web 156 which is l 1% inches long when both blades 82 are active.

To produce folded and cut webs of short lengths, but which, however, are even divisions of the cylinder repeat length of the press, and thereby render the printing press capable of producing folded and printed pieces of such different, smaller lengths which are aliquot parts of said cylinder repeat lengths of the press,

a press provided with the present invention has means comprising a plurality of sets of gears respectively attachable to the shafts 74 and 38 and each set having a different ratio, which ratio preferably is indicated on the sets of gears by suitable labels or indicia. For example, the set of gears selected as above is of such ratio that the shafts 74 and 38 are driven to cause the rotary knives 78 and 82 to cut printed, folded lengths of the web half the maximum length, or 1 1% inches, the same being half the circumference of the printing cylinder, if one of the knives 78 or 82 of each set is retracted to render it inactive. By retracting one complete set of k111\ s 78 and 82 to inactive position, pieces having a maximum length of 23 /2 inches are produced. Still other meshing sets of gears having further different ratios which can be mounted upon shafts 74 and 38 will be selected, for example, so as to provide various speeds of the rotary cutting knives 78 or 82 relative to the speed of the web so as to produce cut pieces of the folded, printed web which are, for example, approximately V4, Va, /2, /3 and one full circumference of the printing cylinder. By such means, it, therefore, will be seen that the drive for the rotary cutting knives 78 or 82 may be adjusted to operate at a relatively wide range of speeds relative to the speed of the web being fed to the cut-off unit 12. To provide examples of a limited number of sets of gears according to gear teeth on each to produce commonly used lengths of pieces 176, the following table is set forth:

While it is conceivable that certain types of variable speed transmission units might be connected between the shafts 74 and 38, this would not be practical because the length of the printed piece has to be regulated relative to the circumference of the printing cylinder on the press, as well as the diameter of cutter cylinder 72. Therefore, from a practical standpoint, producing cut pieces 176 which are certain fractions and preferably major fractions of the circumference of the printing and cutter cylinder is, in reality, the only necessary and practical range of lengths for the folded and printed pieces to be produced by the cut-off unit 12 while using only one of the knives 78 or 82 of each set.

For convenience, the various sets of gears which are preferably furnished with each cut-off unit 12 may be contained in an appropriate cabinet conveniently located for readily being selected and substituted for a pair of gears already in use on the cut-off unit. The gears preferably are provided with suitable key ways complimentary to keys on the shafts 74 and 38. By the use of appropriate locking nuts or other securing means, the gears are fastened to the shafts and operation of the cut-off unit may commence.

From the foregoing description centering around the interchangeable gears 224 and 226 with respect to shafts 74 and 38, the pieces produced by the auxiliary in-line trim-out unit 12 will produce cut pre-printed pieces 176 of equal lengths as long as said length is equal to or one of the aforementioned fractional parts of the cylinder repeat length of the press. Such operations also may be achieved when rendering inactive one of the rotary knives 78 or 82 of each set thereof, or rendering one complete set thereof inactive, as descriibed above. To further increase the versatility of the trimout unit, however, and thereby minimize the capital expenditure which must be made by a printer when it is desired to produce pre-printed trimmed and finished pieces having lengths which are not equal to one of the aforementioned fractional parts of the cylinder repeat length of the press, it will be seen that by employing the principal feature of the present invention, namely, the plurality of spaced sets of rotary trimming knives 78 and 82 on the cylinder 70, which coact with the stationary bed knife 88, the trim-out unit 12 of the present invention places a printer in a position where he can adapt his web press to produce either folded or unfolded pieces which are accurately trimmed at opposite ends cleanly and in finished condition and in which the lengths of said finished pieces may be of any desired length as long as they do not exceed the circumference of the printing cylinder.

To summarize the foregoing advantages of variable capabilities of the present invention, it is possible to use on the cutter trim-out assembly a. 2 double knives to produce 2 pieces, each with a trim-out b. 1 double knife to produce 1 piece with one trimout c. 1 double knife and one single knife to produce 2 pieces with one trim-out for the two pieces, such as between them d. 2 single knives with no trim-out, as with the machine of said co-pending application e. 1 single knife with no trim-out, as with the machine of said co-pending application It will be understood that capabilities (a), (b) and (c) are not possible with the machine of the co-pending application and thus, represent the further versatility afforded by the present invention.

Therefore, the present invention comprises, in reality, means to extend the versatility of the invention specifically illustrated and claimed in said co-pending application, Ser. No. 31 1,627, and, if desired, may be used without employing the changeable gear feature of the subject matter of said co-pending application. Therefore, the essential feature of the present invention comprises the capability of the trim-out unit 12 being operable to produce pre-printed pieces of a desired length which need not be exactly equal to or one of said aforementioned fractional parts of the cylinder repeat length of the press, and of equal importance, is the fact that even if the pieces, as cut by the mechanism of the subject matter of said co-pending application so that the cut length is equal to or one of said fractional parts of the cylinder repeat lenath of the press, if desired amounts of the bleed on said out pieces are to be removed, such removal can only be effected by a subsequent off-line operation if employing the mechanism of said co-pending application, whereas such bleed may be simultaneously trimmed from one or both ends of said pieces by utilizing the subject matter of the present invention, whereby the present invention constitutes an additional operational advantage not present in said copending application.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. An auxiliary trim-out unit adapted to receive from a web printing press a longitudinally folded or unfolded web comprising a series of similar pre-printed pieces having short lengths of excess waste web material be tween the opposite ends of successive pieces which must be trimmed therefrom, said trim-out unit comprising in combination, a frame, a pair of feed rolls supported by said frame, means connected to said rolls and adapted to drive the same at press speed, a rotary knife holder supported and driven by a shaft rotatable in bearings upon said frame, at least one pair of cutting and trimming knives having shearing edges extending across said holder substantially between the opposite ends thereof and spaced circumferentially of said holder a distance equal to the length of the strip of web to be trimmed out from between successive pre-printed pieces, a stationary bed knife supported by said frame and extending across the path of said web, said stationary knife having a shearing edge positioned for shearing engagement by said pair of knives on said rotary knife holder as the same is driven rotatably simultaneously to cut said webs to separate said pre-printed pieces and trim the excess strips therefrom, and means adjacent said stationary knife operable to remove from between said pair of knives the waste strips of the web trimmed from between said adjacent pre-printed pieces and discharge the same from said unit.

2. The trim-out unit according to claim 1 in which said rotary knife holder is provided with means operable to adjust the space between the knives of each pair thereon and thereby permit the trimming of strips from said web of different precise lengths from between adjacent pre-printed pieces on said web.

3. The trim-out unit according to claim 2 further including a plurality of planar spacer members of different thicknesses individually selectable to be mounted between said knives of each pair thereof on said rotary knife holder to provide the adjustable spacing between the cutting edges of said knives to permit said trimming of strips of different precise lengths from between adjacent pre-printed pieces on said web.

4. The trim-out unit according to claim 3 further including means engageable with said bed knife to effect adjustment of the cutting edge thereof toward and from the path of movement of said web between the knives of said rotary knife holder and said bed knife to accommodate differences in the adjustment of space between the knives of each pair thereof on said rotary knife holder.

5. The trim-out unit according to claim 1 in which said rotary knife holder is provided with a plurality of pairs of knives spaced circumferentially even distances apart around the periphery of said knife holder, the knives of each pair on said knife holder having the cutting edges thereof spaced circumferentially precisely the same differences to trim waste strips of said web having precisely the same length from between successive pairs of said pre-printed pieces of said web.

6. The trim-out unit according to claim 5 further including means on said rotary knife holder engageable with said blades carried thereby and operable to adjust said blades to dispose the cutting edges thereof at de sired radial distances from the axis of said rotary knife holder, and clamping means provided on said rotatary knife holder to firmly secure the blades thereon if desired adjusted radial position in which the cutting edges of the blades of each pair thereof are precisely equal radial distances from the axis of said rotary knife holder, said means to adjust said knives for variable radial distances from the axis of said rotary knife holder also being operable to effect retraction of the blades of a selected set thereof a short limited distance in a radial direction with respect to the axis of said holder and thereby render that set of blades inoperative with respect to the bed knife of the unit in accordance with requirements of the length of pre-printed pieces to be trimmed by said unit.

7. The trim-out unit according to claim 1 in which said means to remove waste strips of the web trimmed from between adjacent pre-printed pieces further includes means positioned to engage said waste strips and move the same away from said knives on said rotary knife holder for discharge from the unit.

8. The trimout unit according to claim 7 further including means positioned relative to said waste strip removal means and operable to engage the waste strips after removal from the cutters of said rotary knife holder by said strip removal means and operable posi tively to strip said waste strips from said waste removal means.

9. The trim-out unit according to claim 7 in which said movable means of said waste removal means comprises endless flexible means hving pickers positioned thereon at longitudinally spaced intervals and adapted to impinge said waste strips from between the knives on said knife holder and thereby positively effect removal of said waste strips from said knives.

10. The trim-out unit according to claim 9 further including a baffle between the knives of said pair thereof upon said rotary knife holder adjacent the outer cutting edges thereof but spaced a limited distance radially inward therefrom and operable to backup said waste strips after being severed from said web and aid impingement thereof by said pickers on said endless flexible means of said strip removal means.

11. The trim-out unit according to claim 10 in which said baffle is provided with spaces positioned in line with the pickers on said endless flexible means and thereby being operable to accommodate said pickers within said spaces incident to said pickers impinging said waste strips incident to removing the same from said knives upon said rotary knife holder.

12. The trim-out unit according to claim 10 in which said pickers comprise a series of piercing prongs spaced longitudinally along said flexible means, said waste removal means also including means to drive said flexible means in timed relation to the arrival of said baffle between said blades of each pair thereof upon said rotary knife holder opposite said pickers upon said flexible means.

13. The trim-out unit according to claim 12 further including stripping means positioned adjacent said endless flexible means in spaced relationship to and below the path of movement of said web across said bed knife, said stripper means having slots through which the pickers on said flexible means may pass, whereby said stripper means will stop the movement of the waste bers being driven in a direction to move one course of said flexible means and the pickers thereon in a downward direction to carry the impinged waste strips of said web downwardly away from said rotary knife holder for discharge of the waste strips from the lower end of said flexible means. 

1. An auxiliary trim-out unit adapted to receive from a web printing press a longitudinally folded or unfolded web comprising a series of similar pre-printed pieces having short lengths of excess waste web material between the opposite ends of successive pieces which must be trimmed therefrom, said trim-out unit comprising in combination, a frame, a pair of feed rolls supported by said frame, means connected to said rolls and adapted to drive the same at press speed, a rotary knife holder supported and driven by a shaft rotatable in bearings upon said frame, at least one pair of cutting and trimming knives having shearing edges extending across said holder substantially between the opposite ends thereof and spaced circumferentially of said holder a distance equal to the length of the strip of web to be trimmed out from between successive pre-printed pieces, a stationary bed knife supported by said frame and extending across the path of said web, said stationary knife having a shearing edge positioned for shearing engagement by said pair of knives on said rotary knife holder as the same is driven rotatably simultaneously to cut said webs to separate said pre-printed pieces and trim the excess strips therefrom, and means adjacent said stationary knife operable to remove from between said pair of knives the waste strips of the web trimmed from between said adjacent pre-printed pieces and discharge the same from said unit.
 2. The trim-out unit according to claim 1 in which said rotary knife holder is provided with means operable to adjust the space between the knives of each pair thereon and thereby permit the trimming of strips from said web of different precise lengths from between adjacent pre-printed pieces on said web.
 3. The trim-out unit according to claim 2 further including a plurality of planar spacer members of different thicknesses individually selectable to be mounted between said knives of each pair thereof on said rotary knife holder to provide the adjustable spacing between the cutting edges of said knives to permit said trimming of strips of different precise lengths from between adjacent pre-printed pieces on said web.
 4. The trim-out unit according to claim 3 further including means engageable with said bed knife to effect adjustment of the cutting edge thereof toward and from the path of movement of said web between the knives of said rotary knife holder and said bed knife to accommodate differences in the adjustment of space between the knives of each pair thereof on said rotary knife holder.
 5. The trim-out unit according to claim 1 in which said rotary knife holder is provided with a plurality of pairs of knives spaced circumferentially even distances apart around the periphery of said knife holder, the knives of each pair on said knife holder having the cutting edges thereof spaced circumferentially precisely the same differences to trim waste strips of said web having precisely the same length from between successive pairs of said pre-printed pieces of said web.
 6. The trim-out unit according to claim 5 further including means on said rotary knife holder engageable with said blades carried thereby and operable to adjust said blades to dispose the cutting edges thereof at desired radial distances from the axis of said rotary knife holder, and clamping means provided on said rotatary knife holder to firmly secure the blades thereon if desired adjusted radial position in which the cutting edges of the blades of each pair thereof are precisely equal radial distances from the axis of said rotary knife holder, said means to adjust said knives for variable radial distances from the axis of said rotary knife holder also being operable to effect retraction of the blades of a selected set thereof a short limited distance in a radial direction with respect to the axis of said holder and thereby render that set of blades inoperative with respect to the bed knife of the unit in accordance with requirements of the length of pre-printed pieces to be trimmed by said unit.
 7. The trim-out unit according to claim 1 in which said means to remove waste strips of the web trimmed from between adjacent pre-printed pieces further includes means positioned to engage said waste strips and move the same away from said knives on said rotary knife holder for discharge from the unit.
 8. The trim-out unit according to claim 7 further including means positioned relative to said waste strip removal means and operable to engage the waste strips after removal from the cutters of said rotary knife holder by said strip removal means and operable positively to strip said waste strips from said waste removal means.
 9. The trim-out unit according to claim 7 in which said movable means of said waste removal means comprises endless flexible means hving pickers positioned thereon at longitudinally spaced intervals and adapted to impinge said waste strips from between the knives on said knife holder and thereby positively effect removal of said waste strips from said knives.
 10. The trim-out unit according to claim 9 further including a baffle between the knives of said pair thereof upon said rotary knife holder adjacent the outer cutting edges thereof but spaced a limited distance radially inward therefrom and opeRable to backup said waste strips after being severed from said web and aid impingement thereof by said pickers on said endless flexible means of said strip removal means.
 11. The trim-out unit according to claim 10 in which said baffle is provided with spaces positioned in line with the pickers on said endless flexible means and thereby being operable to accommodate said pickers within said spaces incident to said pickers impinging said waste strips incident to removing the same from said knives upon said rotary knife holder.
 12. The trim-out unit according to claim 10 in which said pickers comprise a series of piercing prongs spaced longitudinally along said flexible means, said waste removal means also including means to drive said flexible means in timed relation to the arrival of said baffle between said blades of each pair thereof upon said rotary knife holder opposite said pickers upon said flexible means.
 13. The trim-out unit according to claim 12 further including stripping means positioned adjacent said endless flexible means in spaced relationship to and below the path of movement of said web across said bed knife, said stripper means having slots through which the pickers on said flexible means may pass, whereby said stripper means will stop the movement of the waste strips of the web previously positioned upon said pickers, whereupon said waste strips removed from said pickers may fall by gravity from the unit.
 14. The trim-out unit according to claim 12 in which said flexible means extend around a pair of spaced rotatable members and the opposite courses of said endless flexible means move along a substantially downwardly extending plane and one of said rotatable members being driven in a direction to move one course of said flexible means and the pickers thereon in a downward direction to carry the impinged waste strips of said web downwardly away from said rotary knife holder for discharge of the waste strips from the lower end of said flexible means. 